Governor John Hickenlooper gave his third State of the State address before a packed audience in the House Chambers of the State Capitol on January 10th, 2013. The Governor took on the issue of gun regulations in his State of the State speech calling for universal background checks for all gun purchases.In his third such address to the legislature, Hickenlooper, a Democrat, also called for a moment of silence in the House chamber to remember the victims of the Aurora shooting massacre and said Coloradans “have an obligation to prevent similar tragedies.” The mayor, police chief and fire chief of Aurora were present for the governor’s annual address. – Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

Gov. John Hickenlooper “primed the pump” on the debate over gun laws Thursday, saying he supports universal background checks for all sales.

“We shouldn’t be restrained from discussing any of these issues,” Hickenlooper said. “Our democracy demands this type of debate. Let me prime the pump: Why not have universal background checks for all gun sales?”

But so far the debate lacks the kind of details that would explain how such a regulation would work.

Rep. Rhonda Fields of Aurora was the first Democrat to jump to her feet when Hickenlooper mentioned background checks. Her son was murdered in 2005 by a man now on death row.

She has been working on a bill that would require Coloradans who purchase guns through a private transaction to undergo background checks, but it has not been introduced.

Tom Deland, chief of Broomfield police and president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, called universal checks a good idea, but one that would take some time to implement.

“It’ll present a challenge to see that everyone is following the rules,” Deland said.

The checks may help prevent illegal transactions, but the way in which law enforcement would handle this new process remains to be seen, Deland said.

Beyond more checks, the governor didn’t mention assault-style rifles or high-capacity magazines. Gun-control activists have called for more restrictions following mass murders in Aurora and Newtown, Conn., last year.

The Democratic governor’s remarks have been widely anticipated, particularly among Republican lawmakers who wanted to see where Hickenlooper stood.

“I was really disappointed with this notion that I have to do background checks if I want to sell a gun of mine or give a gun of mine to my son,” said Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray. “I don’t know how he plans to do that and that causes me great concern.”

Hickenlooper said Colorado’s record of tackling difficult problems “makes it possible to discuss gun violence and mental health.”

Hickenlooper also pushed for more efforts at “identifying and helping people who are a threat to themselves and others.”

“That is why we are requesting your support for a comprehensive overhaul of our state’s mental health system,” the governor said.

At that, Republican lawmakers stood and applauded.

Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, who was at the speech along with the city’s police and fire chiefs, said Hickenlooper is correct to say that the time is right for a debate over gun legislation. But Hogan declined to comment on whether he supports universal background checks.

Hogan said he’s had conversations with Fields about her legislation.

“This is a delicate situation,” the mayor said, “that needs to be thoroughly debated.”

A native of Colorado, Kurtis Lee was a politics reporter for The Denver Post from February 2011 until July 2014. He graduated cum laude from Temple University in 2009 with a degree in journalism and political science. He previously worked as an online writer in Washington, D.C., for the PBS NewsHour.

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